History Main / SignedUpForTheDental

Makes it even more hilarious if the character who wants that specific benefit has no way to use it. (Such as a health plan for an immortal being.) See also HealthcareMotivation, WorkingForABodyUpgrade and IControlMyMinionsThrough.

* Mentioned in ''ComicBook/BirdsOfPrey'', when a group of {{Mooks}} attempt to unionise the henchmen of Gotham City.

* ''ComicBook/AllNewUltimates'': When the Ultimates were discussing about things to request from Jameson, Dagger proposed dental care.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2'', where Shrek [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8InEAgkjAE0 gets into the Fairy Godmother's factory]] by claiming to be from the Union of Magical Workers both Evil and Benign and asks the receptionist if he feels degraded or oppressed (when we just heard the Fairy Godmother yell at him to get coffee and pastries). The receptionist turns the speaker tube the other way before admitting they don't even get dental.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* ''Film/MenInBlackII'': Zed explains to Frank that he'll get better dental as Zed's assistant than as a field agent. Since Frank is canid (at least in appearance while on Earth), this works for him.
* Near the end of ''Film/{{Payback}}'', low end criminal and DirtyCoward Arthur Stegman dreams of how he'll be set after he sells VillainProtagonist Porter to TheSyndicate that Porter has been causing trouble for. Among all the other things Stegman dreams of getting are medical and dental benefits. Unfortunately for Stegman, fantasizing about this distracts him, and Porter effortlessly takes his gun away and then repeatedly smashes Stegamn's head against the nearest surface. And then uses Stegman as a BulletproofHumanShield when ''yet another'' groups of gangsters looking to kill Porter show up. Yeah, [[EvilVersusEvil it's that kind of movie]].
* In the shower scene of ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' various characters explain why they joined the space marines; including one woman who joined up to be able to get a license to have a child. At least one of the characters joins for the more mundane reason of the government paying for him to go to Harvard afterwards. All this of course in addition to the core benefit of joining: [[MemeticMutation Service Guarantees Citizenship!]] That's right: your basic civil rights are denied ''unless'' you enlist. In the book the slogan is explained more thoroughly; military service isn't the only path to full citizenship, just the easiest and most certain.
* According to the theme from ''Film/SpyHard'', a great dental plan is one of the benefits of being a secret agent.

'''Cab Driver:''' I don't know. I mean, you know, I thought, like, Film/JamesBond.
-->'''Vince:''' No, no. They all look like me. I'm the classic agency type; muscular, low to the ground, compact. Are you interested in joining? I'll tell you, the benefits are fantastic. The trick is not to get killed, that's really the key to the benefit program.
* Averted in ''Film/GrossePointeBlank'': Martin tells Debbie that he's a professional killer, and she asks if he gets dental with that, but he tells her no.

* ''[[Literature/TheExecutioner Able Team]]''. 'Gadgets' Schwartz says that he joined the army during UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar to learn electronics. "Sure, and kill communists too, they're bad for radio reception."

* In ''[[Literature/ArtemisFowl The Eternity Code]]'', Artemis lets off a sonic grenade, which in addition to temporarily deafening everyone nearby, shatters the teeth of all the {{Mooks}} who didn't know to relax their jaws. Their boss later realizes that he ''really'' shouldn't have given them all such a good dental plan.

* ''Literature/HowToBeASuperhero'', in its parody of CrimefightingWithCash, has a superhero successfully HeelFaceTurn an entire gang of {{Mooks}} by offering them a better benefit package than the villain.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* In ''Series/GetSmart'' Agents from CONTROL and KAOS would occasionally put their gunfights on hold in order to compare benefits packages. Sadly, [[EvilPaysBetter the KAOS agents often seemed to have the better deal.]]

* In one episode of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', the Janitor and his minions quit working at Sacred Heart and get a job at '[[BurgerFool Coffee Bucks]]' nearby because it has a dental plan. They return to the hospital after Dr. Kelso agrees to give them a dental plan there.

* This conversation in ''Series/{{Fringe}}''
-->'''Peter''': Ever considered a life of crime?
-->'''Olivia''': No dental.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In the episode "A Good Man Goes to War", Lorna Bucket reveals she only joined the Clerics, who want to kill The Doctor, so she could meet him again, after being drawn into an adventure with him as a child.
* In ''Series/TheNewAdventuresOfBeansBaxter'' one of the henchmen says he joined the evil organization for their dental plan.
* In the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' presentation of ''Film/TimeChasers'', Crow attempts to improve Mike's life by going back in time and preventing him from taking the temp job that eventually lands him on the Satellite. As he tries to persuade the younger Mike, Crow is briefly tempted to try temping himself when Mike explains the benefits of temping, including Blue Cross.
* Subverted in the season one finale of ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'', where most of the HYDRA support staff joined because of the "incentive plan" - the incentive being, HYDRA kidnaps a loved one in order to force someone to work for them.

-->'''Margaret''': Where's Major Burns? He's been missing for hours!
-->'''Hawkeye''': [[SarcasmMode Oh, haven't you heard? Frank's gone over to the enemy. They offered him a hundred dollars more a week and a royalty on bedpans.]]
* ''Series/{{Angel}}''.
** Wesley is told there isn't any when he joins [[VampireDetectiveSeries Angel Investigations]]. He says he'll floss.
** However dental is one of the [[BetterLivingThroughEvil many benefits]] of working for [[OccultLawFirm Wolfram & Hart]]. As Angel's SexySecretary (also a vampire) points out, "let's face it, who needs dental more than us?"

* ''[[VideoGame/WarCraft WarCraft III]]'':
** The Acolyte "builder" unit of the undead has, like all the other units in the game, [[StopPokingMe many funny quotes if you click on him repeatedly without actually giving him an instruction]]. One of his quotes is "Once you start down the dark path, [[Film/ReturnOfTheJedi forever will it dominate your destiny]] ... and you get dental."
** Subverted by Tichondrius, who complains that the Legion's dental plan isn't good enough and his fangs are killing him.

-->'''Constrictor:''' Sorry, sweetheart, I got out of the mercenary biz. I'm full-time now.
-->'''Madame Masque:''' With S.H.I.E.L.D.? How disappointing. What did they offer you?
-->'''Constrictor:''' Decent vacation time. Good dental plan. [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers Redemption.]] Couldn't say no.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', this is the reason why Ser Jory sought to become a Grey Warden, seeking personal glory, only to quickly attempt to back out when its made clear that every Warden must be willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Drawing his sword on [[MemeticBadass Duncan]] doesn't exactly [[CurbStompBattle go well]] [[KilledOffForReal for him.]]

--> '''Cortez''': So… Been in the agency long?
--> '''Chen''': Uh… Yeah… Three years in May.
-->({{beat}})
-->'''Cortez''': You get dental?
-->'''Chen''': Yeah… Yeah…
-->'''Cortez''': That's good…
* Thanatos, god of Death from ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'' mentions unbeatable health insurance that comes with working in Underworld's forces.
* In the opening scene for a Templar character in ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'', the woman sent to recruit you mentions an excellent health plan among the many benefits of joining the AncientConspiracy.

* In ''VideoGame/TheDarksideDetective'', [=McQueen=] asks a monster what brings him to Twin Lakes, and he claims it's because the city has great dental -- even though, as [=McQueen=] immediately points out, he doesn't have any teeth.
* ''Videogame/DragonBallFighterz:'' Captain Ginyu reveals the various benefits Freeza offers them in return for their UndyingLoyalty. They include some of the best healthcare the whole galaxy has to offer, proper battlesuit technology and entire planets as a bonus for good performance.

* Appears in [[http://www.lfgcomic.com/page/89 this]] strip of ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup''.

* In the (disappeared from the net) comic ''Webcomic/{{Hellbound}}'', one of the characters has a conversation with a Mook in which he says "full dental?" "and a funeral on our inevitable deaths" "maybe I should look into [[FacelessGoons faceless minioning]]."
* ''Webcomic/BrunoTheBandit'': [[http://www.brunothebandit.com/d/19990610.html Numth'kul tells how it is.]]
* ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' had an AU Sidestory involving a Weasel Queen and her horde of Monster Rabbits. Agatha assumed smell and fear were behind the rabbits working for the queen - turned out it was really good health insurance. (Which makes one of the protagonists consider changing sides.)
* In ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfWiglafAndMordred'' the last push Gawain needs to join up with Arthur Garrott is the [[http://liliy.net/wam/2009/06/07/even-zombies-need-dental/ dental plan.]] (Despite the fact he's a regenerating Zombie.)

* The comic creating the page picture is the now defunct ''[[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} Warhammer Fantasy]] / [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} 40k]]'' webcomic ''Lost In Space''. The strip in question can be seen [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/60.gif here.]]
* Non-comedic example from ''Webcomic/BladeOfToshubi''. One character joins the army because the "benefits" get his daughter medicine.
* ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'': The mayor's assistant explains to his boss that there are robots on the police force because that department has [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1900/fc01838.htm full medical and a 32,000 km warranty for robots.]]
* ''WebComic/TheLastDaysOfFoxHound'' evokes a variant [[http://www.doctorshrugs.com/foxhound/comic.php?id=500 in the finale.]] Despite Ocelot pretty much hating everything about [[AncientConspiracy The Patriots]], he admits [[TheOneThingIDontHateAboutYou their health plan rocks]].
* In ''Webcomic/TheMansionOfE'', The Operator [[http://mansionofe.comicgenesis.com/d/20030929.html claims]] this is the case in regards to his elevator job, but he's almost certainly lying.
* In ''Webcomic/BlueMilkSpecial'' General Nadine joins the Rebellion in part due to their better dental plan [[http://www.bluemilkspecial.com/?p=10150 here.]]

[[folder:Web Originals]]
* Rainbow Dash in ''[[WebVideo/MyLittlePonyTheMentallyAdvancedSeries Rainbow Dash Presents]]: Captain Hook the Biker Gorilla''.
* In [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Linkara's]] review of ''[[DeadlyGame The Culling]]'' he wonders why anyone would want to work for the BigBad Harvest and what the villain could offer. A benefits package? Flex time? Paid vacations? A starting salary in the six digit range? When Harvest says the team should embrace his offer, Linkara notes there are free donuts in the employee lounge every Monday.
* WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee

* The Monarch, nemesis of Dr. Venture in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', joined [[WeirdTradeUnion The Guild of Calamitous Intent]] for the health benefits.

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'': [[WordOfGod According to the producers]] this was the reason [[TheDragon Shego]] kept coming back to be [[MadScientist Drakken]]'s sidekick. Fans who suspected other reasons were [[LastMinuteHookup eventually proven right]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', [[AgentMulder Matt Bluestone]] finally tracks down one of the Illuminati and upon confronting him, notes that he looks unusually young for a man in his 90s, and comments on the generosity of the Illuminati to provide special life extending drugs for their senior members. For his part, the Illuminati member wryly notes "You should see the dental plan…" Which must be pretty darn great, as he has perfectly even, white teeth that we are supposed to assume are not dentures.
* ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'': In "Store Wars", Coco keeps getting jobs at the local mall, and Frankie seems rather tempted when she finds out that the jobs come with dental ''and'' chiropractic insurance.
* ''WesternAnimation/MissionHill''- This becomes the kick in the ass Andy needs to seek gainful employment, when he has to use his friend Jim's dental plan after a tooth falls out. He ends up getting work at the art department of Jim's advertising agency. This trope gets a callback in the unproduced episode ''Supertool'' when Andy complains over his menial duties, and says he hoped to be able to stretch his creative wings when he took the job. Jim reminds him he only signed up for the dental.
* In a variant, Shipwreck on ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'' once exclaimed in surprise that Cobra mooks have a dental plan, when he and some other Joes were ransacking some files in a Cobra facility.
* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': When Heinz Doofenshmirtz was declared a minor threat in relation to The Regurgitator, he decided to meet the new villain, who assumed Doof was applying to work for him and showed him application forms. Doof decided to work for him when he learned The Regurgitator offered ''maternity'' leave.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Fry and Bender join Earth Army to get a five percent military discount to buy gum (which cost 40 cents), intending to quit after they have used the discount. Then war were declared.

* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2'', where Shrek [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8InEAgkjAE0 gets into the Fairy Godmother's factory]] by claiming to be from the Union of Magical Workers both Evil and Benign and asks the receptionist if he feels degraded or oppressed (when we just heard the Fairy Godmother yell at him to get coffee and pastries). He turns the speaker tube the other way before admitting they don't even get dental.

* In Music/WeirdAlYankovic's "Party in the {{CIA}}" parody, he mentions that the CIA has a better dental plan than the [[FBIAgent FBI]]. You know, besides the whole dressing up like [=MIBs=], interrogating terrorists, and executing heads of state part.

-->'''Cab Driver:''' I can't believe you work for the {{CIA}}.\\

-->'''Cab Driver:''' I can't believe you work for the {{CIA}}.
-->'''Vince Ricardo:''' Why not?
-->'''Cab Driver:''' I don't know. I mean, you know, I thought, like, Film/JamesBond.
-->'''Vince:''' No, no. They all look like me. I'm the classic agency type; muscular, low to the ground, compact. Are you interested in joining? I'll tell you, the benefits are fantastic. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny The trick is not to get killed, that's really the key to the benefit program.]]

* In the second ''VideoGame/{{Descent}}'' game, the Material Defender is bound and determined to complete the mission(s) and not die because not only does he want his money - he ''will'' get that dental plan...

** Provincial health insurance generally only covers expenses related to visiting a hospital or family doctor. Other medical expenses like dental, prescription drugs [[note]]Quebec provides partial coverage if you don't have private insurance coverage, and Ontario provides full coverage for those 24 and under not covered by private insurance[[/note]], and glasses aren't covered, so many employers offer supplemental insurance coverage for these things as part of their benefits.

** Provincial health insurance generally only covers expenses related to visiting a hospital or family doctor. Other medical expenses like dental, prescription drugs (in most provinces), and glasses aren't covered, so many employers offer supplemental insurance coverage for these things as part of their benefits.

** Provincial health insurance generally only covers expenses related to visiting a hospital or family doctor. Other medical expenses like dental, pharmaceuticals (in most provinces), and glasses aren't covered, so many employers offer supplemental insurance coverage for these things as part of their benefits.

->''Facing death every day is a tough job for any man. But his hours are flexible, and he's got a great dental plan.''

* Not necessarily canon, unless you count [[{{Fanon}} the speculation]], but still worth mentioning. Despite being the most evil and power-hungry human in the world, [[StreetFighter Bison]] ''does'' sport clean white teeth. [[NebulousEvilOrganisation Shadaloo]] dental care: best in the world.

* Inverted in ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek 2}}''; Shrek gets into the Fairy Godmother's factory by pretending to be a regulator and manages to get the elf behind the desk to let him in by playing on his grievances, including "We don't even have dental."

[[folder:Anime]]

For our non-US readers: the United States does not have a government-sponsored health insurance system except for veterans, elderly (Medicare), and extremely poor (Medicaid)[[note]]Currently a participant must also fall under one of several covered groups such as having a disability.[[/note]] - for most Americans, most or all of their coverage from private companies or organizations. For healthy working-age adults, health insurance is a common benefit at a workplace (due to wage restrictions during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII encouraging benefits in place of offering higher wages) and can vary greatly in quality between jobs. Dental insurance plans are usually separate items from regular health insurance, which is why "dental" is commonly said instead of "health".

* Early in ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'', a trio of soldiers from the Empire of Mor Ardain are attempting to recruit Drivers at a recruiting stand in Torigoth's town square. In addition to the [[DareToBeBadass usual]] [[PatrioticFervor talk]] you'd expect to hear from a military recruiter, the lead soldier makes a point to emphasize that the position also comes with a pension and benefits. Unlike most other examples, this isn't PlayedForLaughs. Jac, the Gormotti man who successfully bonds with a Blade, can be encountered by the party later in Mor Ardain to start a sidequest where they learn that he has completed his training and is on active duty with the army, and he is sending the extra bonus pay he gets for being a Driver back home to Gormott to provide for his younger siblings.

* Early in ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'', a trio of soldiers from the Empire of Mor Ardain are attempting to recruit Drivers at a recruiting stand in Torigoth's town square. In addition to the [[DareToBeBadass usual]] [[PatrioticFervor talk]] you'd expect to hear from a military recruiter, the lead soldier makes a point to emphasize that the position also comes with a pension and benefits.

* ''WebComic/TheLastDaysOfFoxHound'' evokes a variant [[http://www.doctorshrugs.com/foxhound/comic.php?id=500 in the finale.]] Despite pretty much hating everything about The Patriots, [[TheOneThingIDontHateAboutYou he admits their health plan rocks]].

* The Monarch, nemesis of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', joined [[WeirdTradeUnion The Guild of Calamitous Intent]] for the health benefits.